Taste of Country Staff

2013 was a great year for country albums! Women may not have dominated the charts, but they produced some of the best LPs of the year. Ashley Monroe, Kacey Musgraves and Kellie Pickler all recorded projects that made our list of the Top 10 of 2013. Now, it’s time for fans to decide who their choice for No. 1 is.

Eight new artists are competing for New Artist of the Year honors at the 2014 Taste of Country Awards. Three came from reality television, one came from scripted television, three made it the old-fashioned way and one came from out of nowhere to become one of the hottest concert tickets in country music. Who do you think should win the New Artist of the Year award?

There’s a timeless quality to Rascal Flatts’ love songs, like their latest ‘Rewind.’ It’s a song that could appear on any of the group’s eight previous studio albums. Gary, Jay and Joe Don have a signature sound, and they’ve remained loyal to it for almost 15 years.

'Us Again,' Chuck Wicks' debut single on Blaster Records, is a patient, orchestral ballad about yearning to get back together with the one you loved and lost. Wicks has always been a talented interpreter of songs. His pain comes through early on this track from an upcoming studio album.

2013 was full of tragedy, surprises and celebration -- it seemed a new jaw-dropping news event took place just about every month in country music. Five events make the final cut as nominees for the Headline of the Year Award at the 2014 Taste of Country Awards. Which do you think should win?

2013 was a really good year for country music videos, with more than one turning into mini-movies. The plot was thick during Carrie Underwood’s Two Black Cadillacs’ and Tim McGraw’s ‘Highway Don’t Care,’ two of the 10 nominees in the Best Video category. Take a look at all nominees and decide who should win this Taste of Country award.

All five nominees for the Heartwarming Moment of the Year award at the 2014 Taste of Country Awards involve kids ... duh. Country artists go out of of their way to help children in need, turning up in the most surprising places. It's the only format where a dying girl can ask to get a phone call from her favorite singer and actually receive it.

The Swon Brothers are the first male contestants from 'The Voice' to try their hand at country radio with the release of their debut single, ‘Later On.’ To date, Danielle Bradbery and Cassadee Pope have been the show’s biggest successes, both releasing fairly mainstream pop-country songs. These Oklahoma boys show their rock roots early and often in this cut.

For some, it comes naturally. For others, it comes with a little help and a $30 million necklace. OK, Carrie Underwood looked great at the Grammys even without the jewels, and her wardrobe choices in 2013 made her an easy pick for nomination in the Best Dressed category at the 2014 Taste of Country Awards. It's up to fans to decide who has the best style.

With Artist of the Year already decided, Song of the Year is the most distinguished honor at the 2014 Taste of Country Awards. Ten hits from 2013 make the ballot, including ACM, CMA and Grammy nominees. Combined, these tracks have sold over 11 million downloads, but which is worthy of this fan-decided honor?

The nominees for Live Act of the Year aren't just your usual suspects. New artists like Florida Georgia Line make the ballot, while first-time headliners like Luke Bryan and Eric Church look for fan votes against mainstays like Brad Paisley and Jason Aldean. George Strait may be the sentimental favorite, as he finished the first year of a two-year plan to retire from the road. Vote for your favorite live performer from 2013 here!

Eric Church’s new song ‘Give Me Back My Hometown’ seems to fill in the answer to a question proposed last month through a short series of cryptic videos. The first video promised: “One will rise , one will fall," and then another indicated the first wasn't meant as an attack on Taylor Swift. It's not clear why footage of Swift was used at all, although this new song does explore themes the 24-year-old is famous for singing about.

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